what is negative reinforcement
Negative reinforcement is applying an unpleasant consequence for undesired behavior.
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http://allpsych.com/psychology101/reinforcement.html
Positive reinforcement is reinforcing behavior by providing a pleasant/desired consequence. For example, giving you an ice cream cone.
Negative reinforcement is reinforcing behavior by taking away an unpleasant/undesired consequence. For example, a jail sentence is reduced for good behavior or taking medication to reduce pain or other unpleasant symptoms.
So, rather than applying/increasing the unpleasant consequence (punishment), it is reducing the negative consequence. See the sources cited by Ms. Sue.
I hope this helps a little more. Thanks for asking.
To better understand negative reinforcement, it is important to understand reinforcement in general. Reinforcement refers to the stimuli or consequences that follow a behavior, which can either increase or decrease the likelihood of that behavior occurring again in the future.
Positive reinforcement involves providing a pleasant or desirable consequence to increase the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. For example, giving a child a piece of candy for completing their homework reinforces the behavior of doing homework.
On the other hand, negative reinforcement involves removing or avoiding an unpleasant or aversive consequence to increase the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. It is important to note that negative reinforcement is different from punishment. While negative reinforcement aims to increase behavior, punishment aims to decrease behavior by applying an aversive consequence.
There are two types of negative reinforcement: escape and avoidance.
Escape negative reinforcement occurs when a behavior leads to the termination of an ongoing unpleasant stimulus. For example, if a person is experiencing a loud and annoying alarm sound, pressing a button to turn it off is an escape behavior that is negatively reinforced.
Avoidance negative reinforcement occurs when a behavior prevents or avoids the onset of an unpleasant stimulus altogether. For example, if a student consistently studies well before an exam to avoid the stress and anxiety of studying at the last minute, their behavior of studying in advance is negatively reinforced.
Understanding negative reinforcement requires grasping the concept of functional relationships between behavior and consequences. By analyzing the consequences of behavior, we can determine if they are being reinforced positively or negatively. It is important to remember that negative reinforcement refers to removing or avoiding an unpleasant consequence, not inflicting punishment.
For further reading, you can visit reputable psychology websites or scholarly sources that discuss operant conditioning and behavioral theories.